Marlin 60 WOES.

I took the marlin 60 that I acquired a week ago to the range to see how it shoots. I filled the tube, released the bolt and fired my first shot. It was about 6 inches low right and failed to cycle. I manipulated the second round out of the ramp and tried again with the same results. OK the $50 I paid for this gun that looked almost new was not such a good deal. I packed up and went home cussing under my breath all the way. I googled marlin 60 breakdown and watched 3 you tubes on it. When I removed the barrel and action from the stock I couldnt believe what I saw. first the little dimple nut that holds the trigger gard screw was stuck up in the action, there were several pieces of what looked like gravel but was putty in there also. It turned out who ever had it apart last used galzing putty to replace the nut that was stuck in the action. There was so much black residue coating everying that you couldnt begin to see the individual components. My next move probably rivaled that of the glazier that owned it previously, I took it to the kitchen sink and poured dish soap all over it then attacked it with a tooth brush. I wasn't being gentle and dislodged a tiny hairpin type spring. OK now considering selling the individual parts. Stubborn as I am I went back to an exploded (NO PUN INTENDED)view on Google and found where it belonged. Using 3 pairs of hemostats, small vice grips and a screwdriver I managed to manipulate it back into position. Not knowing the only thing that held this assembly together was the residue I so unmeticulously removed. While trying to reassemble the mechanism with the receiver I heard something bounce off the ceiling. I found a small piece on the floor, Back to Google. Discovering the small piece I found on the floor held in a spring. The cussing begins again. thoughts of the gunsmith come back.After an extensive search I found this spring that equaled that of the coil spring of an F-250. This was a seemingly impossible reinstallation so I put the pieces in a pill bottle and reassembled the barreled action to the stock. Thinking I was going to surrender to a gunsmith. I sat the gun in Front of the TV where it kept telling me what an idiot I am. Then the Scottsman on my other shoulder kept telling me I gave up too easy. I
redisassembled and discovered a tiny hole which I assumed was for no other reason but to reinstall the spring. I got a small brad, put the spring and the small piece on the shaft and put the brad through the hole to hold everything in place and the vicegrips to hold the assembly together while I put it in the receiver. The whole ordeal took about three times as long as it did for me to type this with the hunt and peck method. I did learn a lot for the next time I have to clean this thing. Get a giant bag and work inside of it. Don't assume anything. Be gentle. I not only got the gun or $50 but also a gunsmithing lesson.

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"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling, which thinks nothing is worth war, is worse. A man who has nothing which he cares more about than his own personal safety is a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free unless he is made free and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself" John Stuart Mill
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of
Paul.

The model 60 internals can be a bit scary until you find your way around. When I first started messing with mine I went a little at a time, step by step. Now it's not so bad and I learned how to clean it fairly well. I'm glad you got yours back together and hopefully she will shoot well from now on. All she needed was a little tender loving care and you gave it to her, unlike her previous owner who's name was bubba.

Mine is similar but the post has a screw head on both ends and the ront end has a screw on either side, There are no c-clips holding the mechanism together. I'm sure it didnt come with them as there are no grouves to facilitate them and the pins are all flush, hense the woes. the two sides o the mechanism separated allowing several components to fall out. This gun is a 1976 model so maybe Marlin made these preemptive changes to eliminate other peoples woes. The gun pictured in the link looks identical to mine until you take it out of the stock with a slight modiication to the trigger guard.
BTW thanks for the link JP

__________________
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling, which thinks nothing is worth war, is worse. A man who has nothing which he cares more about than his own personal safety is a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free unless he is made free and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself" John Stuart Mill
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of
Paul.